GENERAL RULES.-Full payment by stamps required on all transient printed matter, foreign and domestic. All letters not prepaid by stamps, all letters received with stamps cut from stamped envelopes, or with stamps that were in use prior to 1861, or with revenue stamps on them, are treated as unmailable, and sent to the Dead-Letter Office. Quarterly rates of postage cannot be received for a less time than one quarter. Parties claiming to have paid postage in advance at the mailing office must produce a receipt or other satisfactory evidence that the postage has been paid as claimed. All letters to be mailed must be plainly addressed, and the name of the post office, state, and county clearly written. Any printed matter so marked or written upon as to convey any other or further information than is conveyed by the original print, is subject to letter rates of postage. Stamps should be placed on the upper right-hand corner of the addressed side of an envelope. Matter subject to letter postage, weighing not more than four pounds, upon which one full rate (three cents) has been paid, is entitled to be forwarded by mail, the balance due thereon to be rated up at the mailing office for collection on delivery, thus: A package weighing one ounce and a half, with postage of three cents affixed, should be indorsed "six cents postage due" and forwarded by the postmaster at the mailing office, which the postmaster at the office of delivery must collect, observing the same proportion in larger or smaller packages. There is nothing in the postal law making exceptions in favor of mail matter passing from one state official to another. Postmasters are not required to receive in payment for postage, mutilated notes-that is, notes not worth their full value; nor are they required to receive notes so much soiled or defaced that their genuineness cannot be clearly ascertained. Any inclosure in a newspaper addressed to a regular subscriber, whether residing in or out of the county where the same is published, (except a genuine sup

plement thereto and bills and receipts for subscription,) subjects the package to letter postage. Fractional parts of postage stamps will not be recognized in prepayment of postage. Postmasters are not allowed to give credit for postage, nor to deliver any mail matter until all the postage thereon has been paid. A business card impressed on the wrapper or envelope of any printed matter, or a simple mark designed to call attention to any article in such printed matter, does not subject it to letter postage. In every case of loss by mail, the office should be immediately notified of the facts, with information as to the contents of the letter, when, where, and by whom mailed, and any other information that would assist in a thorough investigation.

MONEY ORDERS-DOMESTIC.- Especial attention is called to the money-order system as a safe and cheap method of transmitting small sums through the mails. Orders are issued in sums of not more than $50. Larger amounts, not exceeding $150, can be transmitted to the same person, at the same time, by additional orders. After once paying a money order, the post office department will not be liable to any further claim therefor; and the public are strictly cautioned to take all means to prevent their loss. In taking out a money order, be careful in stating correctly the given name, as well as the surname, of the person in whose favor it is drawn; also, to make known the name and address of the person taking out the order to the person in whose favor it is drawn. Neglect of these instructions will risk the loss of money, besides leading to delay and trouble in obtaining payment. Individuals presenting money orders for payment must be identified as the proper person to receive the money. The rates are: On orders not exceeding $10, five cents; over $10 and not exceeding $20, ten cents; over $20 and not exceeding $30, fifteen cents; over $30 and not exceeding $40, twenty cents; over $40 and not exceeding $50, twenty-five cents.

FOREIGN.-Rates of commission, U. S. currency, charged for issuing international money orders, to be transmitted by postmaster at New York to Germany: On orders not exceeding $5, fifteen cents; over $5 and not exceeding $10, twenty-five cents; over $10 and not exceeding $20, fifty cents; over $20 and not exceeding $30, seventy-five cents; over $30 and not exceeding $40, one dollar; over $40 and not exceeding $50, one dollar and twenty-five cents. rates are charged to Great Britain and Switzerland, except that no order can be sent of a smaller denomination than $10.

The same

No fraction of cents to be introduced in an order. United States treasury or national bank notes only received or paid. Postmasters must require the applicant for a money order, in all cases, to write his own given name and sirname in full; and when the given name of the payee is known, it should be so stated, otherwise initials may be used. The given names of married women must be stated, and not those of their husbands-for example, Mrs. Mary Brown must not be described as Mrs. William Brown. Names of parties and places, and the sums, to be written in the plainest possible manner.

REGISTERED LETTERS.—Only letters or mail matter upon which full letter rates of postage have been paid can be registered. The fee upon domestic registered letters is eight cents. Each letter registered must have the name and address of the writer endorsed on the back. Persons applying for registered letters must prove their identity.

STAMPED ENVELOPES.-A request for the return of a letter to the writer, if unclaimed within thirty days or less, written or printed, with the writer's name, post office, and state on the upper lefthand corner of the envelope, on the face side, will be complied with. Stamped envelopes spoiled in directing are redeemed at the post office from which purchased.

SCHEDULE OF MAILS.

[CORRECTED TO DECEMBER 20, 1876.]

TIMES OF ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES.

Northern Through Mail-Twice daily-arrive at 7 A. M. and 11:30 P. M.; close at 7 A. M. and 7:30 P. M.

Northern Way-Mail-Daily-arrive at 11:30 P. M.; close at 7 A. M.

Southern Mail-Twice daily-arrive at 8 A. M. and 8 P. M.; close at 6:30 A. M. and 10:30 P. M.

Norfolk and Petersburg closes at 12 M.; arrives at 1 P. M.; including Lynchburg and Danville railroad. Richmond and Danville Railroad-Daily-arrive at 8 P. M.; close at 7 A. M.

Farmville, Lynchburg, and Burkeville to Lynchburg Daily (except Sunday)-arrive at 5 P. M.; close at

9 A. M.

Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad-Daily (except Sunday)-arrive at 5 P. M.; close at 8 A. M.

Gordonsville, Charlottesville, Staunton, offices between Charlottesville and Staunton, Lexington, Lynchburg and beyond, and west of Covingtondaily-arrive at 8 A. M.; close at 9:45 P. M.

West Point and stations on Richmond, York River and Chesapeake and Ohio railroad-daily (except Sunday)-arrive at 10:30 A. M.; close at 2 P. M. Gloucester, via West Point, daily-arrive at 10:30 A. M.; close at 2 P. M.

Tappahannock, via Aylett's, daily-arrive at 6 P. M.; close at 7 A. M.